Our
annual look at those individuals
committed to creating a better
Central Iowa

Often times, you are simply too
oblivious - leading your life,
raising your kids, paying your
bills, trying to score - to notice,
or to actually care. Hopefully
you try to leave your mark, to
excel, to help make this tiny
corner of the world we share a
better place, to somehow make
a difference. But most of the
time, most of you, most everyone,
is looking out for number one,
which, in all actuality, is a
big part of what life's about:
survival.

Well, when Jerry Maguire said
we live in a cynical world, he
was right. Optimism is in short
supply these days, as are people
who are optimistic. And it snowballs
a little more everyday, gathering
up more and more of us, catching
people caught up in themselves
and their stuff and how they are
going to get a leg up on everyone
else, paying little attention
to the fact that scorched earth
and making one's mark are far
from being the same thing. >>
more

Jon Gaskell:
Less is more

Sherman has right plan for Court
Avenue

Court Avenue has always seemed to need
saving. It has been underdeveloped.
It has been underappreciated. It has
been under the thumbs of many of the
wrong people. And, most notably, it
has been underwater. Court Avenue has
also lived for decades at the end of
a question, as in, "What should
we do with Court Avenue?" Many
have tried to answer this question,
of course, offering up big, shiny ideas
to pull the district from its perceived
cross, to help sweep up the supposed
tumble weed. And many have failed. >>
more

Civic
Skinny: Where's the follow up?

Insider: 'Stier killed
IDOT editorial'

Despite sagging readership numbers,
The Des Moines Register has enjoyed
some success with its investigative
reporting (see Clark Kauffman's
Cass County corruption piece),
which in turn has been followed
up by sometimes a nauseating number
of self-congratulatory editorials
where the publication's leaders
get to hop on their high horse
and preach to the populace about
what should be done to right the
wrongs. So when the recent three-day
series by reporters Bert Dalmer
and Tim Higgins on Bill Knapp,
Dennis Elwell, Mark Wandro and
the rest of the seemingly shady
Ankeny Interchange deal that left
the citizenry calling for heads
and some lawmakers pushing for
an investigation by A.G. Tom Miller
didn't warrant any ink by the
Register Editorial Board, employees
there got to talking - and the
rumors as to why are not pretty.
"I think it's logical that
a follow-up editorial would run.
We've done so with regularity
in the past; but while you can't
kill the news, you can kill >>
more

Its
gas pumps have long since been removed,
but Cracker Barrel still broadcasts
the vibes of a Tennessee truck stop.
This is where grandmothers in miniskirts
and high-heeled leather boots spend
their lunch breaks. Where else in Des
Moines do you see families holding hands
and saying grace before dinner? For
voyeurs of the American scene, this
is improvisational theater. As a dining
choice for suburban soccer moms, it
is the Grand Ole Option. And in these
fickle times, consumers polled by the
national trade magazine Restaurants
and Institutions named this chain the
best family restaurant in America 15
years running. >>
more

There
is a lot of distance between the members
of Lesser Known Saint when it comes
to their influences and geography, but
their shared love of late metal guitarist
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott will
close the gap Saturday in Ames when
they pay tribute to the former Pantera
ax-man. >>more

There are days when BeJae Fleming
locks herself in a room and plays
guitar for hours on end until
her fingers wear out in a futile
attempt to cool her creative fires.
Those days don't occur as frequently
as they used to, but when they
do, they are more rewarding for
the veteran singer-songwriter,
who has embraced the autumn of
her career. >>more

Rant
& Rave:

You
think you know something we don't
know? Think we suck? Think other
people suck? Think you can lead
us to the promise land, or do
you just want to spout off some
serious lip? Then grab that thing
in your hand (No, the thing in
your other hand) and double-click
right here. After we check to
make sure you aren't wanted by
the authorities and that you have
your facts as close to straight
as possible, we'll post it right
here. Then other people sitting
in their cubicles -- just like
you -- can bask in your wisdom.

Oh, and if you're really funny,
or enlightened or wonderfully
horrible, we'll print what you've
laid down in next week's issue
of Cityview. So go ahead, what
are you waiting for? >>more